Need a little patience
Transportation officials encourage holiday travelers to be patient
A familiar man with a snow-colored beard and a red and white suit was waiting for Maximus Hobby when the 4-year-old boy’s plane arrived at Will Rogers World Airport this week.
Hobby, who was visiting from Maryland, was excited to sit on Santa Claus’ lap and talk to the big man in red.
“He’s been asking to visit and take pictures with Santa for the last few weeks,” said Chavon McMillian, Maximus’ mom. “… It was a very nice surprise.”
Santa’s visit to the airport is just one way airport officials are trying to spread the holiday spirit during what is expected to be a busy travel period surrounding Christmas and New Year’s.
As travelers bustled by, Santa gave hugs and high-fives inside the terminal, eliciting smiles from people of all ages. He reassured children who were traveling to grandma’s house for the holidays that he would know where to find them.
Travel and transportation officials are expecting more Americans than ever — about 112.5 million — will travel this holiday season. That’s an increase of 4.4 percent from last year, according to AAA.
About 102.1 million people will drive, which is more than ever, the travel association reported.
Meanwhile, the trade organization Airlines for America predicted a 5.2 percent increase in air travel surrounding Christmas and New Year’s compared
to last year. The group projected about 45.7 million people would fly on a U.S. airline during the 18-day stretch from Dec. 20 through Jan. 6, up from 43.4 million people last year. The busiest travel day was expected to be Friday.
“We encourage people to be patient,” said Karen Carney, a spokeswoman for Will Rogers World Airport. “It is the holiday. Be nice to people, including the airline people. There could be crowds. There could be weather. We can’t control that, so just come with your holiday spirit.”
Tips for travelers
For the more than onein-three Americans who are expected to travel, transportation and public safety officials offered some tips to help make the process smoother and safer.
Oklahoma Highway Patrol Capt. Paul Timmons encouraged those who are driving to be mindful of the weather; avoid distractions in the vehicle; make sure everyone is properly restrained; avoid drinking; allow plenty of time; and plan ahead for potential construction delays. Those who are taking long road trips should make sure their vehicle is road ready and their cell phone is charged.
Troopers will be out enforcing the laws and looking for aggressive and intoxicated or impaired drivers, Timmons said. He said the heaviest travel days on the roadways would likely be the Sundays before and after Christmas.
For those who plan to fly, it’s important to allow ample time to park, check bags and pass through security. Some people don’t realize that airlines have cutoff times for checking bags and checking in for flights.
“If you’re late and miss the cutoff time, they won’t put you on the flight or they won’t check your bag,” Carney said. “The confusing part of it is that every airline’s time is different.”
She encouraged people to think about what they’re wearing and carrying through the security checkpoint.
The Transportation Security Administration now requires small electronics such as tablets and e-readers be taken out separately, Carney said.
People tend to bring more unusual types of items through security during the holidays, Carney said. She encouraged people to leave gifts unwrapped in both carry-on and checked bags. If TSA officers can’t identify an item when the bag is screened, they will have to unwrap it. Packing gift bags is a great option, Carney said, because they lay flat and people can use them to wrap gifts after they’ve arrived at their destination.
People also tend to bring food items around the holidays, Carney said. Solid foods are generally acceptable in carry-on bags, but liquid items like salsa are not.
People can visit www. TSA.gov to learn more about what items are allowed in carry-on and checked bags.